Ecuador Volunteer, Margaret, writes about caring for toddlers, riding up a mountain, and enjoying her teammates on a Global Volunteer opportunity in Ecuador.

On our second day working at the daycare, we again were greeted by the children’s chorus of “buenos días” that warms my heart. The schedule was altered due to no running water today, so we were assigned to the baby classes outside. The children had a blast, and it seemed that Tía Blanca did as well. It’s apparent to me which children are lacking the needed attention two-year-olds deserve, because a few of the children did not leave my side for most of the day. The shy children opened up to me and the hugs, kisses, and laughter were abundant. One boy in particular named Andy loved to play peek-a-boo, and his laughter is enough to melt my heart. I learned about a few of the children’s home lives and it makes the work I am doing at the daycare even more meaningful to me and impactful for the children.

Margaret, University of Iowa student, gets ‘her hair done’ by children at the daycare center

After a long day’s work, we arrived at the hotel and then some of us went to Teleférico, or the cable cars, to travel up Pichincha. At the top, the views were breathtaking. We could see four volcanoes, the sunset, clouds below us, and so much more that I cannot put into words. We arrived back at the hotel for dinner and per Ecuadorian culture, sat and talked for at least thirty minutes and got to know each other on a more personal level. As I sit down and write and reflect on today, I realize what an amazing volunteer opportunity in Ecuador I have been blessed with – a great team leader, a new and beautiful country to experience, and most of all, I am reflecting on the lives of everyone I encounter and how we make each other better people.